What if one of the most iconic movies ever made just... isn't your thing?

Filmmaker, actress, and writer Lindsey Deland watched Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction (1994) for the first time. Her verdict? ½ star.

I loved it. She... really didn't.

In this episode of What If I Don't Like It?, Lindsey and I take a deep dive into Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino, and the very different ways we experienced one of the most influential movies of the 1990s.

Why did Pulp Fiction feel disjointed and meaningless to Lindsey? How much does knowing the older movies Tarantino references change the experience? And can you recognize that a movie is influential, beautifully constructed, and important to film history while still simply... not liking it?

Because Lindsey is a filmmaker, actress, and writer herself, we also look at Pulp Fiction from a filmmaking perspective. We talk about Tarantino's cinematic influences and use of bricolage, nonlinear storytelling, cinematography, reaction shots, monologues, iconic scenes, and the filmmaking choices Lindsey appreciated even when the story didn't work for her.

We also get into film fandom and gatekeeping, the pressure to love movies considered “masterpieces,” gender and lived experience when watching violent films, and the difference between appreciating a filmmaker's choices and actually enjoying a movie.

Before we get to Pulp Fiction, Lindsey talks about finding her path in film, screenwriting, her current creative projects, her first movie memories, and the films that shaped her.

So how does a filmmaker give Pulp Fiction half a star while I still love it? Listen and find out!

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

03:24 Meet Lindsey Deland

04:20 Finding a Path in Film

18:19 Current Projects & Creative Influences

23:20 First Movie Memories & Comfort Films

37:04 First-Time Viewing: Pulp Fiction

43:26 First Reactions to Pulp Fiction

59:49 Monologues, Cinematography & Iconic Scenes

01:19:58 Fandom, Gatekeeping & Film Culture

01:38:14 Art, Artists & Interpretation

01:41:55 Final Verdict & Filmmaking Takeaways

02:00:35 Writing for Yourself & the Audience

About Lindsey Deland

Lindsey Deland is a filmmaker, actress, and writer currently developing her own feature film. You can watch her film Dark Places on Tubi.

Instagram: @lindzthenerd

Letterboxd: @lindzthenerd

YouTube: @lindzthenerd

🎬 Watch Dark Places on Tubi:https://tubitv.com/movies/100053018/dark-places

About What If I Don't Like It?

What If I Don't Like It? is a movie podcast hosted by Kt Baldassaro where people watch films they think they won't enjoy and then unpack what happens when they finally press play.

Follow Kt @MovieRuntime:

TikTok: @movieruntime

Instagram: @movieruntime

Letterboxd: @MovieRuntime

Listen to What If I Don't Like It? on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.